QUINCY (WGEM) - Jack-O-Lantern season is right around the corner and this year, it might be a little harder to find the perfect pumpkin to carve.

Illinois is the leading producer of pumpkins in the United States.

Area farmers are saying our weather in July and August is impacting this year’s crop.

“Many growers, like ourselves, are facing a severe shortage of pumpkins this year,” said Mike Roegge, the owner of Mill Creek Farms. “A lot of people have some ideas about what happened to the pumpkin crop. It was so hot in July and August, there’s a possibility the female flowers didn’t really set on and consequently there’s no fruit. We had so much rain in July, perhaps the bees weren’t active enough to pollenate the flowers, but there’s a severe shortage of pumpkins this year across the who

See Full Page